Midnight Offering: Hades's Little Pet Chapter 40

Pervert's face appeared reluctantly behind me and obviously my actions a moment ago had hurt  him.

I was still on the phone talking to AnNing when I saw his gloomy expression. I couldn't help but laugh. I hurriedly spoke to AnNing: "Let me talk to him first and then we will come immediately."

After saying this I hung up. Pervert stuck to me and in a languid tone said.

"Hua'er, I…."

"Stop!"

I looked at his innocent expression and my heart softened but I still interrupted him. Cut off his thoughts to change the topic.

Looking at him I could tell what he wanted to do. Naturally I won't allow him to have his way.

Was yesterday night not enough? He doesn't feel tired but I do. Moreover, doing that kind of thing a lot is not good for men.

I pointed at the mobile phone with an earnest look and said: "AnNing called, do you remember the matter with the former site of Yue family home. You disappeared after that night, later me and AnNing went to find out the actual situation. Just now she called me to tell that Grandpa An has agreed to help Yang Yi and his family. Let me go now."

Pervert finally put on a serious expression, raised his brows and in a feeble tone said: "Hua'er, this matter, it's best not to get involved."

What?!

I looked at his solemn expression and my heart thumped.

Why did he say this all of a sudden?

Pervert grabbed my hand, took me to the sofa and sat down next to me. He looked at me earnestly: "That spirit, is not an ordinary spirit."

I blinked. This was my first time seeing him so serious. He clenched his teeth hesitating to continue, it took him quite a while before he chose to speak out.

"When I arrived at the summer resort, I sensed that it smelt odd. So, I sent the Panguan[1] to investigate. That evening I received his report asking me to return at once."

He stopped speaking after saying this. I looked at him, waiting for him to continue (speaking).

Pervert clearly didn't want me to know the specific details. I looked in his eyes and in a sincere tone said: "Pervert, Yang Yi's family really cannot bear so much. It was the mistake of their ancestors, they don't have the ability to resolve it, so they can only ask for our help."

"I know you will not undertake this task but that doesn't mean I won't or that Grandpa An wont. If you know something about it, can you tell me?"

He looked at me with his ink black eyes, sighed and explained: "An evil spirit that was suppressed by me in the Underworld has gone missing."

"What?"

I shrieked, my mind went black for a moment.

"So, I suspect that the Yue family brought it out when they held the ceremony."

I was scared by this a.s.sumption but I still held a trace of hope and said: "Maybe, the Panguan missed something. Maybe that spirit is still in the Underworld, hiding in some corner."

Pervert shook his head. He didn't look good: "As soon as I got the report I rushed back to the Underworld. When I reached there, I saw an empty cage, the doors were wide open and the evil spirit inside it was gone."

His eyes shifted to my stomach.

"Ever since the disorder in Ghost Town, the Ghost Door is open all year round. This has caused the Underworld to be in chaos. The Yin[2] lacks manpower and is not sufficient. Some evil spirits with high ability got restless and broke out of the prison countless times and even though they are caught and brought back every time they escape from the Underworld but it is still an oversight."

Pervert somewhat blamed himself when he said that. I had no other choice but to hold his hand and pacify him: "It's not your fault. You tried your best but if what you say is true, the evil spirit in the Yue family's former site must be dealt with."

It's vital to exterminate it and send it back to the Underworld. It cannot be allowed to wreak havoc.

I spoke forcefully but the important thing was to cheer up Pervert. I couldn't allow him to blame himself.

Thinking of Pervert's ident.i.ty, he has to manage the whole Underworld that has countless ghosts, unlike the land of the living.

I stroked  my belly and couldn't help asking him: "How can we restore order in the ghost town?"

The black clouds on Pervert's face dispersed. He gave me a loving smile and gently caressed my face: "Hua'er is considerate. I'm alright. The baby is going to stay in your belly for a while. It may be a long time. You need not worry."

I sighed and tilted my head a little: "Well, I'm thinking, how about we let him(evil spirit) appear quickly, so that you can return to the Underworld, because this must be exhausting for you."

The sound of his gentle laughter in my ears was intoxicating. He took me in his arms and rubbed his chin on my head.

"Hua'er is concerned about me. I am very happy."

I pouted but my heart felt sweet.

"I take back what I said that day at the Yue family's former site". Pervert calmly said, "I will have to get involved in this matter."

I went out with Pervert, ready to take a taxi to go the Funeral shop.

We walked side by side when I noticed that the people walking with us didn't see him. I realized that he must have used some kind of technique to make himself invisible.

Anyway, he is a spirit, he can successfully hide his presence from the naked eye of normal people. Naturally, he can also return to his original state (where people can see him). Besides, there are very few people with strong Yin and Yang that can see him. Most people are unable to even sense his presence.

Inside the cab, the backseat was very quiet. I resisted talking to him and didn't allow him to talk either. I didn't want people to think I was crazy.

Pervert too didn't say a word. He sat by my side, grabbed my hand and ma.s.saged it several times, eating my tofu. I could only use my eyes to glare at him but it resulted in nothing.

Forget it…

I thought he must be restraining himself a lot as well. In short, I will let him grope my small hands. It's not like I will lose the two pieces of meat. I'll think of it is as compensation ok?

Finally, we arrived at the funeral shop. Pervert stood at the entrance, raised his head and stared at the signboard on top of the entrance, raised his eyebrow and whipped out that familiar mask, brought it to his face and covered it.

The corner of my mouth raised. I lifted my foot and walked inside the shop.

Grandpa An was standing beside a coffin holding a measuring tape, his hands reaching inside the coffin. His white eyebrows were wrinkled together, resembling two caterpillars.

AnNing sat on a bamboo chair near the door. She was holding an old book in her hands, worry etched on her face but I could see that her mind wasn't on the book at all.

After a while she glanced at me from the corner of her eyes. As if she had seen her savior, she jumped down the chair and excitedly shouted at me: "Xiao Hua! You are finally here!"

Grandpa An's hands stopped measuring, he raised his head and looked towards me.

I noticed his shock. He froze for a moment, his hands trembled and his beard shook.

Just as I was wondering AnNing suddenly grabbed me.

"Wa![3] You're finally here! My Xiao Hua ah! I'd be dead if you didn't come ah!"

I was taken aback by her exaggerated tone. I slapped her back: "Stop talking nonsense, how can you die?"

"Ning yatou[4] , you don't have to inherit the family business but you must still read the books and learn the skills."

Grandpa An looked like he was struggling to compose himself.

As she was chided, AnNing puffed up her cheeks and gave her Grandpa an aggrieved look.

But Grandpa An ignored her pitiful look. He gave a serious cough and wore an expression that said he won't tolerate it any further, which only made AnNing's tiny face to wrinkle further.

I bent to pick up the book she had thrown on the floor, flipped it casually to read and was stunned.

Inside this old, thin book were countless pictures that looked like battle arrays. Circles, squares, pentagrams, triangles, each of the arrays had their own unique names as well.

Moreover, each page had detailed ill.u.s.trations of what the arrays were, how they were to be used, what things were needed to cast them, where the caster should stand, where the center was. Everything was written very clearly.

Some arrays could only be cast by men, some by only women.

Most of the rituals can only be executed by arrays, AnNing had explained this to me.

Hearing the conversation between Grandpa An and AnNing, I thought back to that day when I had asked AnNing why she knew so much about arrays but didn't want to inherit the family business.

At that time, she had looked unsightly, she turned green and purple. Thinking about it now, it feels hilarious.

So, the fact is that Grandpa An had forced her to learn. She may not inherit the family business but she must learn the family's skills.

I began to sympathize with AnNing. I went close to her and patted her shoulder comfortingly.

AnNing looked at me, then around me and became dispirited: "Even your husband didn't come, ai[5] , today is really not a good day."

"Yanw.a.n.g daren is here."[6]

I was shocked when Grandpa An suddenly said this and looked at Pervert standing next to me.

AnNing can't see Pervert but Grandpa An can, what does this mean?

Indeed, Grandpa An is a man with strong Yin and Yang otherwise how would he be able to see Pervert in his ghost form?

Suddenly I remembered Grandpa An's expression a moment ago, when he had looked at me and I understood!

At that time he hadn't seen me but Pervert. Otherwise he wouldn't have been shocked like that.

Pervert showed himself. He was standing next to me, calmly looking at Grandpa An. Then in a tone displaying a King's majesty he said: "Not bad, surprisingly you can see ben w.a.n.g[7] ."

In the world of the living, there are not many powerful Yin and Yang men like him.

Grandpa An respectfully replied: "Yanw.a.n.g daren graced us with his presence, this old man is honored."

I saw Grandpa An saluting and hurriedly stopped him: "Grandpa An you don't need to do this." He is old. Saluting to  Pervert will shorten my life, ah!…..[8]

Although its unlikely for Pervert but I cant watch an old man bend down to bow to a youngster. I really cannot continue seeing this.

Pervert sounded aggrieved: "Hua'er. I am older than him by who knows how many years."

I put my hand on his arm and stroked it, he seemed to understand what I meant and the wounded expression on his face disappeared. Even though I couldn't see his face at the moment, I could feel it.

He is in a good mood now.

AnNing looked at Pervert who still had the mask on. Her expression suddenly changed. I knew what she wanted. I smilingly told her: "I have seen how he looks."

"How is it? How is it?" AnNing swept away the unhappy mood, pounced on me and asked. She had a hopeful expression pasted all over her face as she looked at me and Pervert with a 'I want to see it too' look.

But before she could open her mouth Pervert took a step and dispelled that notion.

"My appearance can only be seen by Hua'er."

TL Corner:

[1] Panguan=Underworld judge.

[2] the way it is used I think it means the Underworld police.

[3] wa=sound of crying.

[4]yatou=girl; but saying 'Ning girl' didn't feel right, so I am going with the pinyin.

[5] ai=sound to express excitement/disappointment.

[6] Yanw.a.n.g=King of h.e.l.l/ King Yama; daren=t.i.tle of respect for superiors. ‘King Yama' didn't feel right in the sentence, so I am going with ‘Yanw.a.n.g daren'.

[7] ben w.a.n.g=(lit.)this king. From the many historical Chinese novels that I have read, it's the way a king addresses himself, you know, talking in the third person. So instead of saying ‘I' the king says ‘ben w.a.n.g'.

[8] I'm not sure why it would reduce her life, I a.s.sume it's a superst.i.tion, that bowing to someone younger to you shortens the young one's life. I'm not sure about it though but I wasn't able to find anything related to this.

*here the Underworld is the Netherworld/world of the dead not the mafia.